ALLEGED CONSPIRACY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 147, 22 June 1923, Page 5

ALLEGED CONSPIRACY

FICTITIOUS SOLDIERS' LOANS,

Three charges of conepiring with Ernest William M'Cardell to defraud tho .Government' for the cum of ±!60 were preferred against Frank Victor Herbert Coull when he again made his appearance before Mr. X Page, S.M., at tho Magistrate's Court yesterday. The charges wefc laid in connection with alleged fictitious applications for loans for furniture which had been made to the Repatriation Board and subsequently granted. The case for the Crown was conducted by Chief Detective Kemp, and tho accused wae represented by Mr. P. Jackson. The Chief Detective, dealing with tho firet _ charge, said that at tho time the application waa made the accused was interviewing officer in respect of furniture loans, and the present case differed from the previous ono only in that the soldier concerned^ Roger Harris, 10/2956, actually wa6 in existence. He was shown, however, as a married man living at Arlington street, Karori, and being a clerk in the employ of C. and A. Odlin, Wellington, whereas Roger Harris, 10/2956, was in reality a single man residing at 28, Hamilton road, Kilbirnie. He had never made application for a loan, and the signature on the application form was not his. It was tho duty of the accused to verify the particulars set out before placing the application before the board, which was assured by the accused that the application was a bona fide one. The furniture for this soldier was alleged to have been supplied by G. F. Gates, a furniture dealer of Adelaide road, Wellington, but no such person could be found. Harris had never worked at C. and A. Odlin's, but was a clerk employed in the Pensions Department. Roger James Harris said that he had never at any time applied to the Repatriation Department for a loan, or an assistance of any description. The signature on the application was not his.

Ernest-, William M'Cardell was again called, and outlined his dealings with Coull on lines fimilar to those appearing elsewhere in "The Post" concerning yesterday's proceedings. At the conclusion of the caso for the Crown, the accused, who pleaded not guilty and rnoserved his defence, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. The Chief Detective then continued to call similar evidence in connection with t.lifi other two charges, and at the conclusion of the proceedings the accused again. entered a pica of not guilty, and was committed to the Supremo Court for trial.